Variable speed drive



NOV. 1940- c. w. HEINRICH ET AL 2,221,166

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE Filed Aug. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1940- c. w. HEENRICH ET AL 2,221,166

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE Filed Aug. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y IIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIII lflflllllll fiwlllll Q 60 In W l d I I l T :1 I I IlllllllllllllHlHHHHH 5| Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE Application August 22, 1938, Serial No. 226,018

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to a variable speed transmission, particularly a transmission employing one or more V-belts.

It is an object of this invention to provide a variable speed drive of simple and rugged construction. Further objects of this invention are to provide a multiple V-belt variable speed drive, in which the belts maintain their relative spacing and alinement; in which the effective diameters of the sheaves are uniformly and positively varied; in which an idler serves to aid in equalizing belt tension; and in which the casing is constructed of two separable portions, one of which removably supports the sheaves and their adjust- 5 ing mechanism, and the other of which carries an actuator.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view taken along the line I'-I of Fig. 2, showing the sheaves, adjusting means, and bearings in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation view taken substantially along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section of one of the shafts taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1.

A variable speed drive in accordance with this invention comprises two parallel shafts V-belt pulleys, each of the pulleys being provided with one or more V-grooves having an adjustable effective diameter. Variation of effective diameter is eflected by axial relative movement between the disks forming the two sides of each belt groove, the slidable disks on each sheave being adjustable simultaneously in the same direction. The means for adjusting each sheave is on the same end of its respective shaft, the two adjusting means being in alinement so that they may be moved simultaneously by a single actu' ating means. The shaft and sheave are carried in bearings located in a main frame member. An auxiliary frame member, supporting an actuator,

is adapted to be fastened to the main frame member. The latter also supports an adjustable resiliently mounted combination idler and fan,

being removable from casing III as a unit or cartridge.

Each of these shafts carries a variable pitch pulley of the general type disclosed in Otto and Heinrich copending application Serial No. 54,664, 5 filed December 16, 1935. Pulley l1 comprises fixed disks l8, l9 and 20 keyed to the shaft and spaced from each other by integral axial flanges such as 2|. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the fixed disks is provided with a plurality of arcuate ap- 1o ertures 22 and intervening circular apertures 23, all of substantially the same radius from the axis of the pulley, and located between the axis of the pulley and the belt coacting surface 24 of each disk. It will be noted that conical belt coacting 15 surface 24 and axial flange 2| are on opposite sides of the disks in sheave l1. Disks l8, l9 and 20 are mounted on shaft l4 and prevented from rotary and axial movement thereon by suitable keys and collars. 20

Alternating with fixed disks l8, l9 and 20 are a plurality of slidable disks 26, 21 and 28, provided with complementary belt coacting surfaces 24. Intermediate slidable disks 26 and 21 are keyed against rotary movement and are arranged 25 to move freely on axial flange 2| of adjacent fixed disks. On the back of each intervening slidable disk are axial arcuate flanges 29 extending through apertures 22 in an intervening fixed disk to abut an adiacent slidable disk. The end 30 slidable disk 28 is slidably mounted on shaft l4 and carries a long hub 30.

Where compactness is essential, it is diiiicult to provide suillcient bearing surface between the slidable disks and their support. In disk 26, for 85 example, if this bearing surface were increased by extending the hub 01' the disk to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, it would be impossible to bring this disk into contact with its cooperating fixed disk to obtain its maximum effective diameter. 40 I! the hub of this disk were extended to the left, as seen in Fig. 1, it would interfere with the face of fixed disk l8. This problem is solved by providing fixed disks l9 and 20 with arcuate recesses 3|, into which bearing surface bosses 32 fit, thus 45 providing a bearing surface for the slidable disks which is longer in an axial direction than the thickness of the slidable disks. When it is remembered that these disks are subjected to rapid, repeated and considerable axial stresses in service, the importance of this additional bearing surface will be understood.

Fixed to hub 30 of end slidable disk 28 is the inner race of a thrust bearing 33, the outer race of which is carried by split adjusting sleeve 24.

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Itwillhenotedthetedeqmteprovieioniemede for him thrust beering a. Lubricant nu eleimednnd emu secure by Patent:

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3.Avnriebleepeedunit eomprieing .1, f" driving-I' and driven shafts carrying adjustable diameter sheaves, a casing having upper and lower sections, bearing support seats in said lower casing section, bearing supports for said shafts within said seats, cooperating bearing support seats in said upper section, whereby the bearing supports are tightly held in place between said upper and lower sections when said sections are normally fastened together, means on each shaft for adjusting the diameter of the sheave thereon, and a single actuator carried by said upper casing section for simultaneously operating both of said adjusting means, whereby removal of said upper casing section eliminates the actuator and renders the shafts and sheaves easily accessible and removable.

4. A variable pitch pulley comprising a support, a plurality of disks provided with conical faces on one side adjacent the periphery thereof, said disks being fixed on said support and spaced from each other by axial flanges integral with each disk and extending on the conical side of each disk, apertures in said disks between said conical faces and said axial flanges, a plurality of similar disks alternating with said fixed disks and mounted for axial sliding movement on said axial flanges of said fixed disks, said slidable disks being provided with axial spacing flanges integral therewith and extending through said apertures from the face of each disk opposite the conical face thereof, and means for clamping said slidable disks together, said clamping means being at the same radial distance on said slidable disks as said spacing flanges.

5. In a variable speed transmission unit, a casing comprising side walls, two shafts supported in parallel relationship in bearing supports in said side walls, the bearing supports in one 0! said walls being provided with threaded sleeves within said casing, a nut in threaded engagement with each of said threaded sleeves, a variable diameter sheave comprising two sets of relatively axially movable conical disks carried by each of said shafts, the disks of each set of each sheave being clamped together and one set of each sheave being connected to said nut on said shaft for axial movement therewith, and means for rotating both of said nuts simultaneously.

6. In a variable speed transmission unit, a casing comprising side walls, two shafts supported in parallel relationship in bearing supports carried by said side walls, the bearing supports in one wall being provided with externally threaded sleeve extensions within said casing, a nut in threaded engagement with each of said threaded sleeve extensions, a pulley comprising sets of relatively axially movable conical disks mounted on each shaft, each said set of disks on each shaft being clamped together to move as a unit, means including a thrust bearing for connecting one set of disks of each sheave with its respective nut for axial movement along its shaft, and means on each nut coextensive with each other for rotating said nut, said rotating means being restrained from axial movement.

7. A variable speed unit comprising driving and driven shafts carrying adjustable diameter sheaves, means on each shaft for adjusting the effective diameter of its respective sheave, a single actuator for operating both of said adjusting means simultaneously, a casing comprising sep-- arable upper and lower sections enclosing said CASPER W. HEINRICH. EUGENE J. O'I'IO. 

